US Government honored 10 Women of Courage on International Women's Day

I wanted to write today, after reviewing the videos and documents of 10 extraordinary women honored by the US Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award. First Lady Michelle Obama joined Secretary Kerry to highlight the importance given to women's issues by my government.

The Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award annually recognizes women around the globe who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. The 2013 awardees were:
Malalai Bahaduri, First Sergeant, Afghan National Interdiction Unit (Afghanistan)
Samira Ibrahim, Coordinator, Know Your Rights (Egypt)
Julieta Castellanos, Rector, National Autonomous University of Honduras (Honduras)
Dr. Josephine Obiajulu Odumakin, President, Campaign for Democracy (Nigeria)
Elena Milashina, journalist, human rights activist (Russia)
Fartuun Adan, Executive Director, Elman Peace and Human Rights Centre (Somalia)
Tsering Woeser (Wei Se), Tibetan author, poet, blogger (China) *
Razan Zeitunah, human rights lawyer and Founder, Local Coordination Committees (Syria) *
Ta Phong Tan, blogger (Vietnam) *
Nirbhaya “Fearless,” champion for justice (India) **
* Will be awarded in absentia. ** Will be awarded posthumously

Biographies of the Women of Courage Award winners is found at: http://www.state.gov/s/gwi/programs/iwoc/2013/bio/index.htm